Isaiah 8:2

And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

And I took {H5749} unto me faithful {H539} witnesses {H5707} to record {H5749}, Uriah {H223} the priest {H3548}, and Zechariah {H2148} the son {H1121} of Jeberechiah {H3000}.

I had it witnessed for me by reliable witnesses - Uriyah the cohen and Z'kharyahu the son of Y'verekhyahu.

And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”

and I will take unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

Commentary

In Isaiah 8:2, the prophet Isaiah takes two prominent individuals as "faithful witnesses" to a prophecy he is about to record. This act underscores the divine authority and certainty of the message God is delivering.

Context

This verse immediately follows Isaiah 8:1, where the Lord instructs Isaiah to write a prophecy on a large tablet, likely a public document, concerning "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" – a symbolic name meaning "swift to the spoil, hasty to the prey." This name foreshadows the imminent invasion by the Assyrian Empire, which would devastate both the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria, and eventually threaten Judah itself. The prophecy is given during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, a period of great national anxiety due to the Syro-Ephraimite war (Isaiah 7:1-9). By appointing witnesses, God ensures the prophecy's credibility and future verification.

Key Themes

  • Divine Validation: The very act of calling witnesses demonstrates that God stands behind His word. It's not merely Isaiah's personal opinion, but a divinely ordained message.
  • Prophetic Certainty: The future events foretold are so sure to happen that God has them publicly attested to, even before their fulfillment. This builds trust in God's plan amidst chaos.
  • Importance of Witnesses: In ancient Near Eastern culture, witnesses were crucial for legal and official documents, ensuring authenticity and accountability. This principle is also seen in biblical law, requiring multiple witnesses for validation (Deuteronomy 19:15).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "witnesses" is ‘edim (עֵדִים), meaning those who testify or bear witness. Their role here is to confirm the authenticity of Isaiah's written prophecy. The term "record" comes from the Hebrew root ‘ud (עוּד), which can mean to bear witness, testify, or document. This emphasizes the official and verifiable nature of the prophecy.

Prominent Witnesses

Isaiah names two specific individuals:

  • Uriah the priest: This is likely the same Uriah mentioned in 2 Kings 16:10-16, who unfortunately complied with King Ahaz's idolatrous commands regarding the temple altar. His high position as a priest would lend significant weight and credibility to the witnessing act, despite his later moral failings.
  • Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah: While less is known about him, his inclusion suggests he was also a person of public standing and integrity at the time, whose testimony would be respected. Some scholars suggest he might be the father-in-law of King Ahaz, further solidifying the royal connection to this prophecy.

Practical Application

This verse reminds us of the profound trustworthiness of God's Word. Just as God ensured His ancient prophecies were publicly validated, so too can we trust in the fulfillment of His promises today. It highlights God's meticulous care in communicating His will, providing clear evidence for those who would believe. For believers, it reinforces the call to be faithful witnesses to God's truth in our own generation, carrying forward the message of His sovereignty and salvation.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 16:10

    ¶ And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that [was] at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.

  • 2 Kings 16:11

    And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made [it] against king Ahaz came from Damascus.

  • 2 Kings 18:2

    Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also [was] Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

  • 2 Kings 16:15

    And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire [by].

  • 2 Kings 16:16

    Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

  • 2 Corinthians 13:1

    ¶ This [is] the third [time] I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

  • Ruth 4:10

    Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye [are] witnesses this day.
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